Chapter 807: 808, Xi He is dead (second update)

It is said that this woman started from scratch, ruthless and decisive, even more formidable than a man.

No one knew her true origin.

As the Shen family fell into decline, the name Situ Ya completely vanished from people’s sight.

It was as if Situ Ya had never appeared before their eyes.

Two months had passed, Duanmu Sheng had been discharged from the hospital, but due to major surgery, she was still lying in bed and resting.

During this time, Duanmu Sheng began to notice something was increasingly wrong with her body.

Lying in bed for two months, her period had not come, and more importantly, she had been feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit.

She searched online and the results suggested these were signs of pregnancy.

Pregnant?

Duanmu Sheng looked at the result, furrowed her brows tightly, and was simply unable to accept this fact at the moment.

She had barely escaped from hell, only to find herself entering another hell in the blink of an eye!

Just then, Duanmu Canghai and Zhou Jin walked in from the outside.

Duanmu Sheng was so scared that she immediately put away her phone.

If she was pregnant, then the child was definitely Shen Haoguang’s.

How could she carry the child of such scum like Shen Haoguang?

If her parents found out about this, they would surely be unable to bear it.

She hadn’t gone to the hospital for a check-up, maybe it was a false pregnancy...

After undergoing such a major surgery, how could there possibly be a child in her belly?

It must be a mistake!

Duanmu Sheng looked at Zhou Jin and Duanmu Canghai, and forced out a slight smile, "Mom, Dad, you’re here."

Duanmu Canghai sat down in front of the couch.

Zhou Jin then sat down beside the bed, and the couple’s expressions were a little strange, as if they had something to say to Duanmu Sheng.

"Sheng Sheng, are you feeling uncomfortable anywhere else?" Zhou Jin looked at Duanmu Sheng with worry that she couldn’t hide.

"No," Duanmu Sheng shook her head, "Mom, don’t worry, I’m fine now."

"Sheng Sheng, what’s the matter with you? Why is your face so pale?" Zhou Jin reached out to touch Duanmu Sheng’s face, which was not only pale but also lacked warmth, it was somewhat icy.

"I’m fine, Mom." Duanmu Sheng smiled and shook her head, grabbing Zhou Jin’s hand.

Duanmu Canghai stood up, opened the window, and then lit a cigarette for himself.

Zhou Jin looked at Duanmu Sheng and then spoke, "Sheng Sheng, your dad and I, we have something to tell you."

It was time to tell Duanmu Sheng about this matter; they couldn’t keep it hidden for much longer.

"What is it? You can tell me," Duanmu Sheng said with a smile at the corner of her mouth.

She had a vague feeling that what her parents were about to say might not be good news...

Duanmu Canghai put out the half-smoked cigarette in the ashtray, looked up at Duanmu Sheng, and said, "Sheng Sheng, it’s not a big deal, but you need to be prepared mentally."

Zhou Jin also sighed.

Times have changed, and getting pregnant before marriage isn’t a big deal, but the father of the child is no good! Zhou Jin feared Duanmu Sheng might find it hard to accept. And yet, they couldn’t have the child aborted!

Things were different for the Duanmu family now, with many eyes watching them from the outside world. Duanmu Sheng getting pregnant before marriage wouldn’t sound good if word got out.

As the matter became public, the rumors and gossip would only increase.

To avoid worrying her parents, Duanmu Sheng smiled and nodded, "Mhm, Mom, Dad, go ahead."

"Sheng Sheng, my poor child," Zhou Jin held Duanmu Sheng’s hand and began to cry softly.

"What are you crying for!" Duanmu Canghai scolded coldly, "This is a good thing! No crying allowed!"

Duanmu Canghai said this also for Duanmu Sheng’s sake; since the incident had already happened, let it be. If the parents were to blame heaven and others, how could Duanmu Sheng continue to live on?

Zhou Jin stopped crying, her eyes still swollen, looking at Duanmu Sheng’s eyes filled with heartache.

How could her Sheng have such a hard fate! First, to encounter a scum like Shen Haoguang! And now to be pregnant with that scum’s child...

The more Zhou Jin thought about it, the worse she felt.

"Dad," Duanmu Sheng raised her eyes to Duanmu Canghai with some concern, "Exactly what happened?"

Duanmu Canghai’s expression was as usual, "Sheng, do you know that you are pregnant?"

Upon hearing this, Duanmu Sheng’s face turned pale, her hands unconsciously clutching the bedsheets beneath her. Due to the excessive force, her knuckles were already turning slightly white; Duanmu Sheng thought she was hallucinating.

How could she be pregnant? How could she possibly be pregnant?

Duanmu Sheng’s eyes reddened in an instant, as she looked at Duanmu Canghai and said with a choked voice, "Dad, you’re joking with me, right?"

Duanmu Canghai had a grave expression, "Sheng, I’m not joking with you, this is real!"

"Sheng..." Zhou Jin embraced Duanmu Sheng, and tears streamed down her face again.

Her daughter was still so young, why did she have to go through this?

"Don’t cry, this isn’t something worth being sad about," Duanmu Canghai walked over, patted Zhou Jin’s back, and continued, "Sheng, you don’t have to worry about what comes next, just take care and prepare for the birth. From now on, this child will be a part of the Duanmu family, with no relation to the Shen family."

Since the child couldn’t be aborted, the only option now was to give birth. No matter what kind of person Shen Haoguang was, the child was innocent.

Duanmu Canghai wasn’t unreasonable, so he was willing to accept the child. It’s just that it’s hard on Duanmu Sheng, so young and already burdened with a child.

With a child, if she ever thought about remarrying, she wouldn’t find a man of particularly good family background. She could only marry below her station. After all, what prestigious family would want a woman who had a child and a tarnished reputation!

"No! Dad! I can’t give birth to this bastard child!" Duanmu Sheng looked up at Duanmu Canghai, very agitated, "Dad! I want to get rid of it! I can’t give birth to it!"

Under the current circumstances, how could she give birth to Shen Haoguang’s bastard child?

Duanmu Canghai sighed, "Sheng, you can’t abort it. Listen to your father, take good care of yourself during the pregnancy, and then give birth to the child. Since it’s already happened, we can only let nature take its course. Society is different now; being a single mother is nothing to be ashamed of. Plus, you’re not alone. You have me, and you have your mom. When the child is born, it will become part of the Duanmu family, and we will help you raise it."

For a parent, Duanmu Canghai doing this much was already not easy.

Deep down, he couldn’t accept that child either.

Whenever he thought of the despicable faces of the Shen family, he couldn’t help himself.

But for his daughter’s sake, he had to accept it.

Duanmu Sheng simply couldn’t understand Duanmu Canghai’s decision. Crying, she said, "Dad! Why? Why? Why can’t I abort it?"

All Duanmu Sheng wanted now was to get rid of the child in her womb. She felt disgusted every time she thought about carrying Shen Haoguang’s child.

"Because it saved your life." Duanmu Canghai looked steadily at Duanmu Sheng and continued, "Back then, when your life was hanging by a thread, the doctors had already told us to prepare for the worst. But then, the appearance of Lady Jiufu saved your life. Lady Jiufu made it very clear that this child is closely related to you. It’s also because of this child that you were able to survive by a fluke..."

Duanmu Canghai slowly recounted, giving Duanmu Sheng the exact words Chu Jin had said.

Duanmu Sheng’s emotions gradually settled down.

Duanmu Canghai changed his tone, then proceeded.

"Sheng, it’s just a child, isn’t it? Let’s have it, there’s nothing to it. Our Duanmu family isn’t so petty that we can’t accept a child. From now on, it will be a part of the Duanmu family. You won’t have to bear a heavy psychological burden. From now on, you’re going to be a mother, and your mom and I will be grandparents. We should be happy."

Given the current situation, all they could do was to come to terms with it.

If even the parents couldn’t accept the child, what would Duanmu Sheng do?

Zhou Jin wiped her tears and then spoke, "Sheng, your father is right. Just take care of yourself, and give birth to the child. You don’t have to worry about anything else."

Duanmu Sheng, crying, shook her head, "No, I don’t want this child. Mom, dad, if I had known this would happen, you shouldn’t have let Lady Jiufu save me. What’s the point of living like this?"

"What are you saying!" Duanmu Canghai frowned slightly and stood up, saying coldly, "Lady Jiufu stayed in the operating room for over a dozen hours to save you, with a big belly and without even a sip of water! Do you know how anxious everyone waiting outside was? It’s fine if you’re not grateful, but to say such things now! How are you any different from an ingrate?"

Duanmu Sheng saying such things made Duanmu Canghai very angry.

He continued, "It’s just a child. What’s the problem with giving birth? Is it going to cost you your life? You chose this path yourself! Who else can you blame? There are plenty of single mothers in the world, not just you! If everyone gave up on themselves like you, how could they go on living?"

Duanmu Canghai emitted an aura of anger.

"Duanmu Sheng! You are my daughter, Duanmu Canghai’s daughter! Can’t you pull yourself together? Don’t be knocked down by one mistake! No one is a saint. It’s normal to make mistakes! The scary thing isn’t making a mistake, it’s not knowing to repent after making one!"

"What’s wrong with being a single mother? As long as you live a decent life! Single mothers can still be successful! They can still be respected!" Saying this, Duanmu Canghai sighed, his tone softening a bit as he continued.

"Sheng Sheng, no matter what kind of person Shen Haoguang is, children are innocent. What wrong have they done? Therefore, we can’t easily deprive them of their lives. Moreover, the child is now completely unrelated to Shen Haoguang. It is a part of the Duanmu Family, and it has Duanmu blood flowing in its veins! Listen to your father’s advice, a person shouldn’t follow the same path to the end..."

Duanmu Canghai’s words enlightened Duanmu Sheng. She sat up, hugged Duanmu Canghai and Zhou Jin, and cried, "Dad, Mom, I’m sorry... I’m sorry! I was wrong!"

At this point, Duanmu Sheng had no other choice. Duanmu Canghai was right; the child was innocent. She would give birth to the child, give the child a home, and ensure it had a happy life even without a father.

She wanted to prove to everyone that a single mother could also make a mark in the world!

"It’s good that you’ve realized this," Duanmu Canghai patted Duanmu Sheng’s shoulder, then said, "In this world, there’s no hurdle that can’t be overcome. Promise your father, from now on, don’t do anything foolish again! If something really happened to you, how would your mother and I go on living?"

Duanmu Sheng, with tears streaming down her face, nodded, "I know, I know everything, Mom and Dad, don’t worry, I will never act foolishly again! I still have to take good care of you..."

From now on, she would live her life well!

Moreover, she would live it brilliantly!

**

Mo family.

As time passed day by day, Chu Jin’s belly grew larger every day. Probably because she was carrying twins, her belly seemed to change daily. Now standing there, she could no longer see her feet.

The deep autumn had passed, and the cold winter had arrived.

Because Chu Jin insisted on a natural birth, she would go out for a two-hour walk with Mo Zhixuan every evening, regardless of wind and snow.

That day, after dinner, just as Chu Jin was about to go for a stroll, her phone rang.

It was a call from an unknown number.

Chu Jin frowned slightly, then answered. After listening to what the person on the other end had to say, she hung up with mixed emotions, a touch of sorrow in her eyes.

Seeing her like this, Mo Zhixuan asked, "What’s wrong? What happened?"

It wasn’t another call from Song Shiqin, was it?

Chu Jin looked up at Mo Zhixuan, sighed, and said with a heavy tone, "Xi He is dead."

Yes.

Xi He was dead.

The call just now was from the prison warden, who was notifying her of Xi He’s death.

Mo Zhixuan showed little change in expression, just slightly furrowing his brow, "How did she die?"

He remembered that Xi He hadn’t been sentenced to death; she was just temporarily imprisoned.

"According to the warden, she died of depression. Ever since we visited her, she began refusing to eat or drink, to sleep or rest, and then..." When Chu Jin heard this news, her mood was quite heavy.

She and Xi He were, after all, friends who had fought side by side.

Xi He was so young and had not even experienced true love before her untimely death, which was genuinely regrettable. Since becoming pregnant, Chu Jin had started to respect every life even more.

Even though Xi He had committed wrongs, her crimes did not merit death.

If only she had been willing to reform, she wouldn’t have ended up like this!

Alas, her obsessions were too deep.

Mo Zhixuan put his arm around Chu Jin’s shoulder, "Don’t think too much about it. She chose this path herself."

Chu Jin looked at Mo Zhixuan, then asked, "What about the Elders?"

No matter what, Xi He was raised by the Elders. Even though she was not their biological child, their bond was as strong as if she were. Now, Xi He’s passing would undoubtedly be a tremendous blow to them.

Mo Zhixuan gazed out the window, his tone somber, "For now, let’s keep it from them as long as we can. I’ve already rearranged for someone to take care of them. They are advanced in age; it’s better they don’t know about this for the time being."

Since the ordeal with the trial came to an end, the five Elders had aged more than a decade instantly, and they hadn’t even attended Mo Zhixuan and Chu Jin’s wedding.

Now, they had officially withdrawn from the political stage of the three realms.

Regarding Xi He’s death, Mo Zhixuan felt not the slightest bit of guilt. In fact, it was Xi He’s own doing.

If she hadn’t meddled in the affairs between Mo Qingyi and Duanmu Zhe, she wouldn’t have met such an end.

It’s just as well that Xi He is dead. Otherwise, who knows what trouble she might have caused in the future!

Death is, after all, a permanent solution.

It’s not that he was cold-hearted, nor that he lacked humanity.

Rather, Xi He was already a very dangerous character.

"Continuing to hide this isn’t a solution either. They’ll find out someday, and how will you explain it to them then?" Chu Jin continued to ask.

"If that day really comes, I’ll just tell the truth. Xi He never did anything good anyway. The Elders might be a bit stubborn, but they’re not unreasonable," Mo Zhixuan said. After that, he took Chu Jin’s hand and changed his tone, saying, "Alright, let’s not talk about these unhappy matters anymore. Let’s go for a walk. Pregnant women shouldn’t worry too much."

At his words, Chu Jin nodded gently, "Alright, let’s go. I just feel that it’s a pity for Xi He to die so young—". No matter what, Xi He was nothing more than a girl in her twenties.

If she had parents, they would surely be very heartbroken.

Once outside, a cold wind blew directly at them. Mo Zhixuan took off his scarf and wrapped it several times tightly around Chu Jin’s neck then tucked her hands into his pockets. Only then did he say, "There’s nothing to pity or not pity. This was a consequence of her own actions; no one held a knife to her throat forcing her to die. You could say that everyone has their fate. Perhaps what seems like death to us might be liberation in Xi He’s eyes."

In fact, what Mo Zhixuan said made a lot of sense. That was just the reality of the situation.

Even if it was a road of no return, it was the path Xi He chose for herself.

She had no one to blame.

Death, at times, is the best form of release.

"Mo Zhixuan, when did you become a philosopher? Spouting big truths one after another?" Chu Jin raised an eyebrow slightly.

Mo Zhixuan responded seriously, "I’ve always been a philosopher. It’s just that you’ve never noticed."

"Tch," Chu Jin kicked a small stone away, "So self-absorbed! I hope our babies won’t be as narcissistic as you!"

Mo Zhixuan reached out and touched Chu Jin’s belly with tenderness in his eyes and smile, "My offspring, whom else should they resemble if not me?"

**

Time flew by quickly.

Before you knew it, another two months had passed.

Chu Jin’s belly had grown very large, nearing the time of delivery. She became quite unwieldy, yet Chu Jin was still light on her feet. So, the Mo family often heard voices saying, "Jin, take it easy."

"Zhixuan, hurry up and help Jin with her shoelaces!"

"Jin, the floor is slippery!"

"Quick! Give it to me! How can you carry something so heavy?"

Approaching the year’s end, Mo Zhixuan became busier and busier. Apart from his scheduled days off, he was hardly seen on other days.

Snowflakes as big as goose feathers floated outside the window while Chu Jin sat on the sofa inside, holding a warm milk tea and watching television.

She was watching a prenatal education program.

Mo Qingyi sat on the sofa beside her, looking at Chu Jin with curiosity and asked, "Jin, do you think the babies can really understand these prenatal education programs?"

Due to Duanmu Sheng’s situation, Duanmu Zhe’s and Mo Qingyi’s wedding was postponed for a while, scheduled for the 28th of this month, just before the end of the year. This meant that Mo Qingyi would be married off then.

Now, there were only a few days left until the 28th, so Mo Qingyi stayed at home these days, preparing for her wedding.

Chu Jin smiled slightly, "They should understand. Just now, the baby even kicked me."

Chu Jin felt that the baby in her belly was somewhat spiritual, sometimes interacting with adults, but it could also just be a coincidence.

"Really?" Hearing Chu Jin say this, Mo Qingyi immediately became excited, quickly getting up and walking over to her, gently placing her hand on Chu Jin’s belly, "Babies, little Bei Bei, say hello to your aunt, will you?"

The moment she finished speaking, Mo Qingyi felt a light kick where her hand rested.

She instantly screamed excitedly, covering her mouth, in disbelief, "Jin! Jin! They said hello to me!"

Madam Mo came in carrying a porcelain bowl, seeing Mo Qingyi like this, she said with a smile, "Qingyi, keep your voice down, don’t startle the children. You’re a grown woman about to be married. Why are you still so excitable? Your mother-in-law will surely dislike you for that!"

Although her words voiced disapproval, there was not a trace of it in Madam Mo’s eyes.

This was a kind of motherly love.

Often, the one who nags you the most loves you the deepest.

Mo Qingyi pouted, "You, you just favor the new over the old. You’ve got grandsons now and forgotten about your daughter..."

"You, you!" Madam Mo, helplessly prodded Mo Qingyi’s forehead.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read